THE ARMY SCHEME.

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13312, 14 June 1907, Page 5

THE ARMY SCHEME.

PLACES FOR MILITIA. Press Association-By Telegraph-Copyright LOXBO2\ T , June 12/ The "Times" states that there, is good reason to believe that, in pursuance of Mr Balfour's .suggestion, .the militia will ba preserved . and will form the third and fourth battalions which at present are allotted to special contingents. MR HALDAA T E'S PROPOSALS. The war correspondent of a London paper in a recent article explaining and criticising Mr Haldane's proposals, sums up the scheme as follows : "The Regular Army, with the Militia and Yeomanry is to stand ready to be able to put at any moment into the field an expeditionary force of between 150,000 and 160,0 CC troops. The territorial army, should a big war arise, will also furnish men for the field, hold the lines 'of communication, and defend our native land. A momentary consideration will- show that there are millions of men enough and to spare within the confines of the United Kingdom to ensure us against danger if but a moderate proportion of the raw material,were trained and organised. Mr Haldane proposes to make further use of the Yeomanry and Volunteers, incorporating them as an actual part of our national army. And the lines of their training land tactical organisation will follow upon those which have been laid down annd adopted, in the Regular fofrces of to-day. That is there will be divisions, each of three brigades; regiments and battalions for the infantry, and so on and on, after their kind, through artillery, cavalry, army medical corps, etc. The old army corps plan is to be succeeded by the division method. Each division will be a complete fighting unit, in organisation and number differing from those of other days, form it will be in war strength a force, nf about 25,000 men of all arms. That is again after the Japanese system. The rank and file, who will form the active, establishment of the territorial army, will surely be each under, or rather not over' 40 years of acre. An immense force can be found, several millions of men physically fit and able, under the prescribed. age, within the confines of the kinrrdom. ' But as ours w to be a voluntary enlistment Army, win Mr Hnldane obtain the requisite numbers? Given fair condition*. I make no oue'tion of the patriotic national spirit fillintr tne >anks. For p. territorial armv of ono million or thereby. tliT* would have to b? RinWhinir like" 40 divisions orrrnnised. But in +he tentative trill of the scheme* ."bo"t -o be marie to vee how .tlv» nation Volunteers respond. Mr Hnlda T, e will likely ask for power, to begin with half, or sMll less, than that number of divisions. TJ"> first year will not involve much, if anv, additional charge upon, the Armv votes, for the whole st-st'em must first b° adopted, "nd later a nvtde wi r h the new 'departure It <-mbraces* the proper and 'TTStennntic of ! Mt e "> loosIv put toiretliPi' -Volunteer forces, their marrii.mrement in local centres, and th"ir pouipinenf. .so ;>s n'j a. moment's "otifi*. As nv-e auxiliaries they wi'l ws° 'o -vis-f. Li-coming instead a. concrete figbti.rif. (force." It ronv br> nddod that Mr TX-ilfo™ ~-, his iner fho i-f.T-ncth of tho Armv, if '"=ff? M rv to som< l thir , f lik>» 9 r 'C' f , "-0 t'vv- sbitpni'.nr. f»« rewavWl i" wm? Titical tjuaj-ter.s as undulv optimistic.